Southern leatherside chub facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southern leatherside chub |
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The Southern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda aliciae) is a ray finned fish in the family Cyprinidae, commonly known as the carp and minnow family. It is endemic to Utah In the United States. Found along the southeastern margins of the Bonneville basin in the American Fork, Provo River, and Spanish Fork drainages of the Utah Lake Basin and the San Pitch River, East Fork Sevier River, Beaver River, and the lower, middle, and upper Sevier River drainages of the Sevier River Basin. They have been extirpated from the Provo River as well as the Beaver River. They are listed as imperiled by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. As with most fishes habitat loss/degradation as well as introduced invasive species.
Morphological/Meristic Characteristics
The Southern leatherside chub is very similar to Northern Leatherside Chub and they were formerly considered the same species, Leatherside Chub (Gila copei). Adult size varies between 60 to 110 mm (2.4 to 4.3 in) (Standard Length). This species exhibits a fusiform body shape with forked homocercal caudal fins. The most pronounced morphological difference between the two species is the Southern leatherside chub's rostrum comes to a more defined point than their Northern counterpart.
Life cycle
The Southern leatherside chub is a relatively short lived fish and matures at age 2-3 and has a maximum recorded age of 8 years. The first spawning event typically happens at age 2-3. They have a strong selection for their spawning habitat choosing small cobble in both pool and riffle habitats with little to no flow.
Range
The Southern leatherside chub's current range is limited to Utah Lake and the Sevier River system in Utah, USA. Historically they also inhabited the Provo and Beaver river systems, but they likely have gone extinct in these systems. The Weber River system is an apparent boundary that separates the Northern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda copei) and Southern leatherside chub in northern Utah.
Habitat
These fish are found in cooler temperature water with moderate currents in creeks, rivers, pools, or riffles where they can continuously feed. However, there is a general preference for pools rather than riffles. The Southern Leatherside Chub also shows more rapid growth rates in warm water environments (19 °C (66 °F)) than the Northern Leatherside Chub.
Population threats
The Southern leatherside chub is considered a species of greatest concern according to the Utah Division of Wildlife. This species is threatened by the fragmentation of its habitat caused by water abstraction for irrigation, channelization, damming, urbanization, and poor farming practices. It is also threatened by introduced predatory fish such as brown trout (Salmo trutta). Environmental factors including seasonal drought also play a significant role in population dynamics which result in low water flows.
